I am halfway through Patrick Rothfuss’ The Slow Regard of Silent Thing, and so far there have been good and bad things about this book. It is a novella taking place in between the second and third novel. The main character, Kvothe, from the first novel, The Name of the Widn, and the second novel, A Wise Man’s Fear, is not present in this book. Instead the point of view is focused on a secondary character, Auri.
Auri is weird. She is easily one of the strangest and mysterious characters in the book. I think this is why Rothfuss chose to write a novella about her. We know nothing about Auri’s background and she sparks curiosity. Auri lives in the tunnels and pipe system under the magical university that exists in these books, known as the Underthing. The Underthing is gigantic, with dozens of different rooms and chambers. She does not leave and is frightened by strangers very easily. Kvothe is able to befriend her through offering food and music and companionship. Auri takes a liking to Kvothe and they meet regularly in the other two books. The novella takes place over seven days, each chapter representing a full day. Auri has been frantic and productive so far, collecting different items from all over the Underthing and getting ready. The author lets us know throughout the book that ‘He is coming in seven days…’ or a lower number depending on the chapter. This guise keeps me reading because I know that it is Kvothe, Auri is waiting to see in seven days. Kvothe is the person whose story I want to read about, not Auri’s.
Rothfuss’ novels absolutely blew up and he is being considered one of the best fantasy authors of present time. This book was not planned at first and so far feels unnecessary to complete Kvothe’s story. I think Rothfuss was affected by the fandom and wrote this book as a cash grab. Auri is okay to read about but I want to read about Kvothe. The third novel is already complete, Rothfuss has hinted that, but instead it is pushed back to an unknown date and he spends his time writing this. I’m sure that this novella will connect with the rest of the series somehow but as of now, halfway through the book, it is has been a disappointment.
Auri has an alchemical light that she has named Foxen. I am not exactly sure how she got it or how it was made, but it lives in a bottle and she carries it everywhere and gives off a luminous glow. Foxen is Auri’s most precious possession, because without it she would have to resort to candles and matches in a place that is always dark. In a room called Yellow Twelve, there is a pool of water that leads down deep into a black bottom. Auri dives down into this chasm in hopes of finding lost treasures. She has to use her sense of touch for the most part. Not even Foxen is bright enough to light the waterway. Auri dives twice finding a key and a bone but on the third time she loses Foxen.
She can’t see what she’s picked up but knows that it is heavy, metal and oddly shaped. She needed both hands to hold it and put Foxen in the crook of her elbow. When she is close to the surface, Foxen falls from her grasp and down into the dark. This is where we have a controlling value:
-Auri can’t drop her new prize as she has worked hard for it and it feels valuable (Gaining new things and letting go of old ones is a part of life).
-Auri can’t let Foxen go, it is her eyes and has been with her forever (Remaining with what has kept you safe is more important than discovery). She decides to let Foxen go and heave the metal out of the water. The metal turns out to be a broken gear and Foxen ends up floating back up to the top.
Auri is weird. She is easily one of the strangest and mysterious characters in the book. I think this is why Rothfuss chose to write a novella about her. We know nothing about Auri’s background and she sparks curiosity. Auri lives in the tunnels and pipe system under the magical university that exists in these books, known as the Underthing. The Underthing is gigantic, with dozens of different rooms and chambers. She does not leave and is frightened by strangers very easily. Kvothe is able to befriend her through offering food and music and companionship. Auri takes a liking to Kvothe and they meet regularly in the other two books. The novella takes place over seven days, each chapter representing a full day. Auri has been frantic and productive so far, collecting different items from all over the Underthing and getting ready. The author lets us know throughout the book that ‘He is coming in seven days…’ or a lower number depending on the chapter. This guise keeps me reading because I know that it is Kvothe, Auri is waiting to see in seven days. Kvothe is the person whose story I want to read about, not Auri’s.
Rothfuss’ novels absolutely blew up and he is being considered one of the best fantasy authors of present time. This book was not planned at first and so far feels unnecessary to complete Kvothe’s story. I think Rothfuss was affected by the fandom and wrote this book as a cash grab. Auri is okay to read about but I want to read about Kvothe. The third novel is already complete, Rothfuss has hinted that, but instead it is pushed back to an unknown date and he spends his time writing this. I’m sure that this novella will connect with the rest of the series somehow but as of now, halfway through the book, it is has been a disappointment.
Auri has an alchemical light that she has named Foxen. I am not exactly sure how she got it or how it was made, but it lives in a bottle and she carries it everywhere and gives off a luminous glow. Foxen is Auri’s most precious possession, because without it she would have to resort to candles and matches in a place that is always dark. In a room called Yellow Twelve, there is a pool of water that leads down deep into a black bottom. Auri dives down into this chasm in hopes of finding lost treasures. She has to use her sense of touch for the most part. Not even Foxen is bright enough to light the waterway. Auri dives twice finding a key and a bone but on the third time she loses Foxen.
She can’t see what she’s picked up but knows that it is heavy, metal and oddly shaped. She needed both hands to hold it and put Foxen in the crook of her elbow. When she is close to the surface, Foxen falls from her grasp and down into the dark. This is where we have a controlling value:
-Auri can’t drop her new prize as she has worked hard for it and it feels valuable (Gaining new things and letting go of old ones is a part of life).
-Auri can’t let Foxen go, it is her eyes and has been with her forever (Remaining with what has kept you safe is more important than discovery). She decides to let Foxen go and heave the metal out of the water. The metal turns out to be a broken gear and Foxen ends up floating back up to the top.